What does nanny do during baby naps?

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We are looking to employ a nanny for our 10 month old. One of the things we are wondering about is - what does a nanny do while the baby naps (at home)? Our DC naps around 1-1.5 hours in the morning, and 1.5-2 hours in the early afternoon.

I understand nannies usually do baby laundry and ironing, and tidy away used baby items, but this wouldn't take up 3+ hours every single day... we don't want to pay a nanny to sit around while baby naps (this happened a while ago when we trialled a nanny).
Is it reasonable to expect her to do some light housework like emptying the dishwasher, and prepping some meals etc (we have a cleaner so wouldn't expect her to do a full on clean)?

Oh I know. I just think the op thinks the nanny isn’t entitled to any at all.

Yes my point exactly. The job is to be there. End of.

Shes keeping your child alive. Get a grip. 🙄

Please use a nursery. You aren’t suited to employing a nanny.

Oh dear

I worked as a nanny and I am now an employer of people who work in an office. I think that its important to note that when the child is asleep, the nanny cant really fully be on a 'break' because the child could wake up any moment, they could be sick or need changing, and so whatever you do while the baby is down needs to be something you could drop if an unexpected need arises. You can't like, go for a run or go do your shopping. That being said, I did think of it as my job (while nannying) to leave the house as I found it. I did all the dishes that the babies (twins) and I used, and since I often put them in the dishwasher, I would also empty it. I washed all the babies clothes and I tidied away clothes and hoovered up messes/ scrubbed and wiped. The family I worked for had a cleaner, but I would not leave a situation worse for wear, because the last thing tired parents want when they come home is a mess to navigate. I have friends now who come home after a long day's work and the house is untidy with toys and that's a frustration. But if the toys are never cleaned up, then I'm not going to devise a storage system. From the point of view as an employer, the nanny deserves what we all deserve15 minute breaks every few hours and a lunch break. Given that these can be interrupted I'd allow some leeway. But as a former nanny I don't think its unacceptable to be clear about what additional tasks you would like, or to what standard you would like them done as long as they relate to looking after the children. I once was asked to keep a child development diaryincluding descriptive information on the children's poop. So, yeah, as an employer you can ask for it.

OP, call an agency and discuss your requirements. They will be able to advise.

Ignore the avalanche of bitchy passive aggressiveness and insults from the posters on here.

May I ask if you have a car? Does it burn that you pay for insurance and car tax even for the times it is sitting on your drive?

I find this question a bit weird - when a your child is napping, the nanny is still working. She is still supervising and taking care of the child. She has to be available to meet the child every needs etc - you are paying her to watch your child. You sound like a difficult employer.

Well I did ask op up thread but I don’t think a nursery would suit. I mean unless she drops her dirty laundry off with her child so she’s not paying for them to sit on their arses while her child naps.

Many years ago when I was a nanny, the next door neighbour asked me if I'd thought about getting a part time job to do while the baby slept. He couldn't understand why I didn't think it was a good idea!

You are getting a hard time here OP. If you have never employed a nanny before it can be hard to understand what they do and do not do. Ultimately, you really need to think about what would be helpful for you and set those guidelines when you are interviewing.

Being a nanny is a real job and that comes with time for a lunch break and tea break throughout the day but as I would not take a three hour break at my office job, the nanny does not need a three hour break during their day as well.

We have a nanny and I have made it clear that I expect her to take at least an hour to eat lunch and relax when the children are napping and she is of course welcome to tea breaks during the day too. We provide food and tea/coffee for our nanny as well.

But once her lunch break is over (an hour) she is expected to wash and fold kids laundry (she can do this while they play too if she is in the same room as them, so doesn't need to be done), make baby food, prep art projects, sensory games, clean up baby toys and help toddler clean up their space. When we come home from the day we expect bottles to be washed and clean and any dishes from lunch clean and put away + any kitchen mess that was made while we were away to be clean.

In return, we would never leave our house messy, we make sure the dishwasher is unloaded prior to nanny arriving and that our breakfast things are clean and put away. This takes a lot of planning our end, we wake up early before the kids and deal with our chores so that when nanny arrives, she arrives to a clean house.

Nanny should not be expected to clean messes that did not happen on her watch. I do expect that her time is used efficiently though and that she is using any downtown that isn't a tea or lunch break to plan fun things for the children or prep their meals or snacks.

As I am sure you are aware, sometimes naps are shorter, sometimes they are longer, sometimes the baby wakes half way through and then goes back to sleep, sometimes they take time to settle. So the times will not always be the same and they will not always be predictable and the timing and length of the naps will alter as the baby grows and develops. Let the nanny have a break, a drink, go to the toilet, have a sandwich, maybe they can sort things out ready for a trip out, maybe they can put a few toys away after they have had a break

Presumably Nanny is allowed lunch. So one of the breaks is lunch.
Then the other is laundry, tidying etc for baby.
It’s not considered OK for her Nanny to do the rest of the households cleaning, laundry, washing etc.
If, however you put it in the job description that Nanny is also a maid of all work then that’s up to you.
Think you might struggle to get a Nanny though and retain them.

As above the vast majority of evening babysitting is purely being a responsible person in the house in case of any problem whilst the children sleep and you still pay for it. You still need your nanny to be "on call" for when the child wakes up and to ensure they are safe in the unlikely event of a house fire/burglary etc. Her childcare skills are obviously in better use when the child is awake but she can't leave the house so she is still working.

I don't understand how you have been 'burned'?

YOU are the one who doesn't seem to understand what you are hiring someone for... you are hiring them to WATCH your child, thats what they are doing.

You aren't burned you are paying for their time. Their time sat in YOUR house watching YOUR kid which is YOUR legal responsability that you are hiring them to take over. They aren't doing it for fun and I bet they would rather be elsewhere.

The other things you want are NOT jobs for a nanny but completely separate jobs and you are suppose to hire someone else for those things.

You don't expect your window cleaner to also weed your garden do you? or your kids teacher to paint your bathroom during break time? That is how silly you sound tying together these completely unrelated tasks.

Preface this with I've never used a nanny, but in my view what you're paying for at those times is for someone to be 'on call' for any issues with baby.
What are you going to do, tell nanny "baby sleeps 10 til 11 so you go outside for a break then and we won't be paying you for that"?!

No it’s not reasonable. She’s not a maid. She’s a nanny.

My daughter is a live in nanny. She works a 10.5 hour day. Her only break is when the children are sleeping. As others have said, she does meal preparation, clearing up the kitchen, tidying bedrooms and the playroom, children’s laundry. She will plan activities, at home and out and about, arrange play dates, buy birthday gifts for the children’s friends.

She is happy to take in deliveries, pick up things when she’s out and about, fold the occasional load of the parents’ washing if it is still in the machine when she wants to use it, load and unload the dishwasher.

As she is live-in she sometimes eats with the parents in the evening. When she does, they take it in, turns to cook and clear away. Not rigidly so, but give-and-take in the way you would expect with any adults sharing a living space.

Baby washing, baby ironing, pack away too small clothes and refill with new, make a list of anything baby needs. Batch cook baby meals. Plan and book activities/classes.
Have a break/lunch/cup of tea like any normal person?

If you want a good nanny who is loyal and looks after your child well when they are awake why on earth wouldn't you want her to rest and enjoy her break whilst the baby is asleep?

Are you factoring in her lunch break when you say 3+ hours of "sitting around"

Would you like your own employer to give you little jobs between your actual jobs, OP?

I was a nanny a long time ago. When the kids were asleep my time was largely my own, although I voluntarily did some child-related clearing up eg washing supper dishes, tidying away dirty clothes, putting shoes and bags where they could be found in the morning. On days when I had the baby on her own I’d do a few child-related things in obvious need of attention while she napped (eg hoovering up cornflakes, washing baby bottles, preparing next feed) then sit down with a coffee and a magazine.
As a student I had a cleaning job which I quite enjoyed - till the family decided l could easily mind the (ostensibly napping, but actually not napping) kids at the same. It’s not reasonable to do both so I quit.
I think it’s fine to expect a few child-related things to be attended to, but keep it light and informal and definitely don’t expect cleaning and dishwasher duties.

Our Nanny used to do light housekeeping like things like the washing up, wiping kitchen down, putting laundry on, hanging it out, putting the sitting room straight. Baby was always priority and I expected them to have a break. We discussed when we interviewed them.

Just 1-2 things a day made our house work more smoothly, we made sure to show how much we appreciated it.